Beauty Secret
by SilverHuntresses
Summary: What is the meaning of beauty? Clarisse will find out! My present to AMillionPages for her birthday!


Clarisse LaRue had always problems of not knowing how to define the words like ' _beauty_ ', ' _pretty_ ' or even ' _attractive_ '.

When she was younger, of course she didn't care of it. She was a 'wild child' in the sense that she liked to get dirty and fight with kids older than her. She ignored the fact that girls and boys her age should be trying to be away from the opposite sex because of the ' _cooties_ '. Clarisse never cared about that.

When she was a little older, before Coach Hedge came to take her to Camp Half-Blood, her mother tried to incorporate into her brain that 'beauty' was a bunch of things a girl should do to be more ' _pretty_ ' and ' _desirable to boys_ '. But Clarisse wasn't interested in that. She wanted to beat up kids because they were mean to her, not to make them like her!

When Coach Hedge found her and took her to Camp Half-Blood, he taught her that her strong and competitive nature- or ' _violent nature_ ', as her mother would call it -was because she was had the blood of the Greek God of War, Ares. Clarisse was more than satisfied to find a reason for that, something that would tell her ' _This is how you are! Don't change!_ '.

However, it wasn't until she reached her teen years that Clarisse started to think back at the concepts of ' _beauty_ ' and the like. How did they all came back? The same way it had ignored it in the first time: boys. Like any girls in her age, Clarisse began to pay attention to the opposite sex and emotions and feelings that were associated with disgust soon turned around, confusing her.

Normally, if she wanted answers, she would beat the pulp out of the person who would give them and gets them. But she realized she'd need some subtlety for this. The usual approach would not be liked or enough.

She started with the analytical approach, like definitions and stuff. Who better than the daughters of Athena for that? But, who to ask? Half the girls were younger than her and would probably still resent the boys, so the target were the older ones. After finally catching one alone after a History lesson, she went straight to the point.

"What is the definition of beauty?" The girl of around seventeen-year-old would blink several seconds, before grabbing her chin with her hand in a thinking posture and give her answer.

"The definition of beauty varies depending the culture, but they all agree that are a group of physical and/or personality characteristics that made a woman or a man attractive to the opposite or not sex." That confused Clarisse a lot more. Which is why she asked again.

"What could define me as a beauty?"

The daughter of Athena was obviously surprised and startled by that question, but didn't tease the daughter of Ares, by the redness of her cheeks and the hands turned into fists next to her body, not to mention that she was trying to be polite and not agressive, gave away that the topic of conversation was pretty serious.

"Well, you're very loyal and you're very athletic..." She said with honesty, but quickly added. "Clarisse, there's not a magic formula or equation that helps a girl to be instantaneously pretty or beautiful... It just doesn't exist." Clarisse only frowned more, frustrated.

"But... how do I make a boy like me...?" The questions was a whisper, as if she was afraid to be caught thinking like that.

"You know what?" The girl surprised her, with a smile. "You can ask every single girl in this Camp- heck, even in New York City -and you'd find a different answer from every single one of them... But, my advice to you is just be yourself. It may not grab the eye of the guy you want, but it would grab the eye of the guy that is perfect for you." After that, she left, leaving a very confused Clarisse behind.

What was all that suppose to mean?!

* * *

Even though it was against her pride and convictions, Clarisse had to admit the daughter of Athena was right all along.

It too her some years to realize that she was applying the wrong technique to get the boys' eyes. It had been foolish to continue to listen to that conversation she caught the daughters of Aphrodite having behind their cabin, as if they were talking about a secret ritual. Trying to act flirty and incite meetings with boys that ' _look like coincidences_ ' were too much for her.

Not that Clarisse had the intention if grabbing a bunch of guys' attention... In fact, if she was being honest with herself, she could only grab the attention of one guy... but, not necessarily because of her good traits. It escaped to her the reason why someone like Chris Rodriguez was so fixated in her. Of course, all his pranking and annoyance had turned all the boys away.

When Chris was around, he was too much obnoxious for Clarisse's like. But when he wasn't, something inside of her missed him. Clarisse thought it was because she was missing the daily scare that sets her on her guard. The more and more she missed him, the more and more she realized she liked him.

It wasn't until long after Chris had returned to Camp Half-Blood, half mad, that Clarisse thought she needed to have a conversation with him.

"Punk, how would you describe 'beauty'?" To say Chris was taken by surprise would be saying it lightly.

"Um, that's not an answer you wanna hear from me..." I knew it... Clarisse scolded herself mentally. She had resigned to lose the war, but her pride was refusing to lose the battle.

"What is that suppose to mean?" She asked, trying to hide all the signs she could show without realizing of weakness. Chris unwillingly took a step back upon hearing her.

"It's, um... it's kind of embarrassing..." He rubbed his neck, obviously ashamed, but Clarisse was having none of that.

"Talk." She ordered him. Chris, red as a beetroot, stared at her while she glared back at him. "What do you like in a girl?"

"Oh, so you really wanna know?" Chris fired back, and Clarisse knew he was about to be humiliated. "I like girls who can laugh at my jokes, even when they don't like it." Clarisse frowned, knowing that she didn't laugh at Chris' jokes... or not that he knew, at least. "Girls who don't mind to show off our relationship once in a while..." It was time for the teeth grit, as Clarisse refuse to show weakness.

"That's it?"

"No." And when Clarisse raised an eyebrow, Chris smirked. "I also like girls who are fiercely independent and wear red bandannas on their forehead and are loyal and like to be all mushy in secret cause she's afraid to ruin her reputation of tough girl." Clarisse blinked, shocked, while listening to him. "Also, I like girls who are obvious and direct when asking questions about themselves that have them shacking in nervousness even though they hide it as a nonchalant curiosity."

"I was that obvious, uh?" She repeated his words, softening her voice a little.

"Obvious to me." He finished, stealing a kiss from her. "Don't worry, your beauty secret is safe with me."

* * *

 _Happy birthday, **AMillionPages**_ _! I swear, you have grown into a beautiful young lady and I, as your friend, couldn't be more prouder about it! Also, uni is doing good for you, though don't party too much, hehe! Love you, sweetie! xxxx_

* * *

 _I apologize for not sending before, though to be honest, I thought I did. Happy be-late birthday!_


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